The places I traveled

I love traveling, always have. I am fortunate that I was able to travel so much from a very young age. For me, traveling is about so much more than just seeing new places and trying new food. For me, traveling is a chance to immerse myself in a new culture, learn new things about that place's history and gain a new perspective on the world.

Accessibility: mountainous landscape with wooden houses reflected

in the crystalline waters of a fjord.

Norwegian Fjord.

NORWAY: Some may say this doesn't count because I had the privilege of living in Norway for two years. However, in that time, I got to explore so much of the country. If I had to describe Norway in one word, I would say magical. Albeit seemingly cold, Norwegians are welcoming and eager to help in any way they can. I was impressed by how clean cities like Oslo and Bergen are. I loved to see the wooden buildings and the country's rich history.

However, I think we can all agree that fjords are the most iconic site in Norway -and rightly so. For the two years that I was there, I never stopped being in awe of my surroundings. In the summer, endless days turned into bright nights where it was never dark and blackout curtains became my best friend. Winter days were short and sunshine was rare. However, Scandinavians are experts in making everything cozy and the northern lights were an incredible gift of nature I will never forget.

If you are a sea food lover, Norway is the place to be. They have some of the best fresh fish markets I have ever visited. It is in Norway that I ate the most delicious salmon of my life.

Accessibility: ornate altar of a Catholic church with gold details

and lit candles.

Cathedral of Leon, Nicaragua

NICARAGUA: If I had to describe this country in one word, it would be colorful. I have been to Nicaragua twice: my first time was visiting a friend. I stayed with her family in Managua. Right away, I felt so relaxed and welcomed. My second trip to Nicaragua was with a volunteer group while I was in college. This time around we stayed at a hostel in Leon and worked with kids in different schools.

I love Latin-American cities because they are always bustling with energy. However, I do feel compelled to say that, if you are legally blind, like I am, they are a bit of a nightmare! Sidewalks are incredibly uneven and people just j-walk to cross very busy streets (it is a miracle I came back from my trips unscathed!). I loved visiting markets in Nicaragua and eating their melt-in-your-mouth mangoes straight from the tree.

Accessibility: street lined with tall brick buildings.

New York City.

NEW YORK CITY: New York City was my first taste of the United States when I moved here almost 11 years ago. My sister and I stayed there for a week on our way to Iowa, where I would live. I fell in love with this city right away! I have to admit that I was shocked at how dirty it was -especially coming from a small town! However, everything else more than made up for it. I was impressed to be able to see in person all those places I had seen on TV and in movies. Honestly, it was the perfect introduction to the country that would become my home.

I enjoyed how much variety there was in NYC; whether I wanted to visit a museum, a park or just take a stroll around the streets of Manhattan -I could do it all! New York was so diverse and definitely the perfect place to people watch. The crowds did get a bit overwhelming for me as a visually impaired person, but nothing a good sighted guide or a white cane couldn't fix!

I enjoyed some of the best Chinese food and pizza in this city. I came to New York ready to hustle because I had heard that New Yorkers are rude and not helpful. I have to say that this was so far from the truth for us! Whenever we asked for help people were willing to point us in the right direction and, what's more, a couple of times pedestrians saw us looking at the map and offered their help.

Accessibility: castle ruins on a cliff overlooking the sea.

Northern Ireland.

NORTHERN IRELAND: I visited Northern Ireland for three weeks on a college course about the peace-building and re-unification efforts in the area. As a college course, we had prepared extensively before departure but, once we were there, we had access to a lot of locals who talked to us about life in Northern Ireland. It was great!

We visited cities like Belfast and Derry/Londonderry as well as small towns along the coast. Northern Ireland has impressive green landscapes and beautiful architecture as well as a fierce coastline. The people of Northern Ireland were open to talking to foreigners, especially at the pub over a pint of Guinness. Pubs were crawling with people every night and every day felt like a Friday. What I liked most about Northern Ireland, besides the friendly people, was their rich history and how much it meant to them.

Accessibility: ruins of the inside of a long building. The ceiling

is gone, but the walls still go all the way up. Columns line each side

of the building.

Jesuitic ruins in Paraguay.

PARAGUAY: I was in Paraguay for 10 weeks doing field work for my masters degree. While I spent most of my time in a rural community in El Chaco, I was lucky to be able to travel throughout. Paraguay was 'tranquilo' (calm). I am not the kind to strike conversations with strangers but, in Paraguay, it was impossible not to. The memory that sticks out the most is in a history museum in Concepcion where I spent an entire morning sitting with the museum curator, drinking terere and talking about life as if there was nothing more important to do.

Paraguay's people are welcoming and generous -especially in rural areas. Paraguayan cities reminded me very much of Nicaraguan cities in how busy and chaotic and full of life they were. Each city had something that set it apart and made it that much more special. Paraguay was not very massified with tourism when I went there, so locals were genuinely happy to see foreigners. I loved walking through their markets and enjoying the artisanal crafts made by indigenous people.



The trips I have enjoyed most in my life are those that I prepared for and got to immerse in the culture. What I mean by preparing is that I did some reading about the country, the culture and its history beforehand. I had a preliminary list of things I wanted to see and try and, whenever possible, I made connections with locals. As a legally blind person, some people don't understand why I like to travel so much if I can't see. To those people I say that, even though I don't see full details, I can still appreciate beautiful architecture and impressive landscapes. To me, traveling is an experience. It is about food, talking to strangers and immersing in a new culture. I cannot do any of that from reading a book.

I have done quite a bit of solo travel, and if you would like me to discuss in detail the logistics of solo travel as a blind person, please, let me know. What I am trying to say is that traveling alone can be scary, especially if you are a woman AND you are blind. However, with proper preparation and research it is possible to do it safely. In fact, some of my best trips have been my solo trips. What is the best trip you have ever taken and why? Where would you like to go next?

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